The points of issue
True first states only 'First published 1988' on the copyright page with no later-printing line; publisher's red cloth with gilt spine lettering, plain endpapers, in an unclipped dust jacket priced £8.50 to the front flap. Quentin Blake ink-and-wash drawings throughout.
Is this the true first?
UK Jonathan Cape 1988 is the true first; the US Viking edition is a separate, later issue. Export copies may have a price-free jacket flap.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies typically carry a blind-stamp to a board, lack the £8.50 jacket price, and may add a printing line; the Viking US edition is not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Matilda a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first states only 'First published 1988' on the copyright page with no later-printing line; publisher's red cloth with gilt spine lettering, plain endpapers, in an unclipped dust jacket priced £8.50 to the front flap. Quentin Blake ink-and-wash drawings throughout.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. UK Jonathan Cape 1988 is the true first; the US Viking edition is a separate, later issue. Export copies may have a price-free jacket flap.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies typically carry a blind-stamp to a board, lack the £8.50 jacket price, and may add a printing line; the Viking US edition is not the true first.
I have a first edition of Matilda — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.